From chestnuts to mullets, from "schiacciata" to (lot of gorgeous) wines In the center of Italy, with Florence as capital city (Florence has been capital of the Italian State too for a while, between 1865 and 1871), Tuscany has a richest variety of landscapes, microclimates, eco-systems. Tuscany literally spans between mountain (the Appennini) and sea (the Tirreno). A trip to Tuscany can really give a glimpse of all that Italy, in terms of landscapes and in terms of food as well: from the high - octane foods of the "highlanders" of the Appennini (spelt and beans soup, chestnut soup, the chestnut cake "castagnaccio", creamy cheese) to the delicate taste of fish: from the "triglia alla livornese" (mullet in a delicate tomato sauce, the name of the recipe coming from the city of Livorno / Leghorn) to the "cacciucco" (a very rich fish soup, again with tomato and again from Livorno, and Viareggio as well). A wonder of easy but absolutely great food is the "schiacciata": a flatbread that can be found almost everywhere in Italy, but that has probably in Tuscany its best "version". The schiacciata can be a great street food, but it is great too as a starter with a drop of extra virgin olive oil (another great product of Tuscany terroirs, expecially in Florence, Arezzo and Siena provinces) and to accompany the tasting of one of the bodied Tuscan red wine. Because, yes: Tuscany has also some of the best wines in the world... It rains wine Tuscany is with no doubts the homeland of some of the best red wines in the world: the Brunello di Montalcino (the 2010 vintage has been great and it's now on sales), the famous Chianti DOCG and the Super Tuscan, the Sassicaia (sort of Bordeau in Tuscany). Red wines, for sure, but also white wines (the very popular Vernaccia from San Gimignano - Siena) and sweet wines as well (the Aleatico from Elba Island, the Pomino Vin Santo - literally "holy wine"). Tuscany... in Florence While you are in Florence, few steps from the Florence Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, you can enjoy these flavours, these aromas, with us, at Enoteca Alessi...